1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for authorizing the transmission of print data generated by a third-party application over a network to a home access device for printing on a printer which is connected to the home access device. More specifically, the present invention provides a mechanism for an internet application to obtain authorization for the transmission of print data which is generated by the internet application over a cable network to a set-top box of a cable subscriber for subsequent printing on the cable subscriber""s printer which is connected to the set-top box.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the increasing use of the internet has resulted in the proliferation of web sites which provide various services for access by the home consumer. Such web sites implement internet applications including credit card services, utility billing and other billing statements, and merchants which sell goods and services over the internet.
Typically, a home consumer accesses these internet applications through the use of a home personal computer (PC) which is connected to the internet via a gateway such as an ISP (internet service provider). In this manner, data such as coupons, sales information, advertisements, billing statements and financial statements can be accessed from the internet, downloaded and then printed by the consumer on a printer attached to the consumer""s home PC.
In addition to the widespread use of home PCs to access the internet, the use of devices known as set-top boxes for connecting a common television to a digital cable network has been recently increasing. Typically, the digital cable network comprises a digital broadband network which incorporates digital and analog services such as analog and digital television signal broadcasts, analog and digital pay-per-view services, digital near video on demand, and one and two way real time data communication. Such digital cable networks also provide services such as web browsing and e-mail by providing access to the internet through a proxy between the internet and the digital cable network.
The typical digital cable network has a cable head end which collects value added services for distribution over the digital cable network, including television stations, pay-per-view television stations, near video on demand, web browsing and e-mail. The cable head end also implements network control systems which are required to manage the distribution and control of the aforementioned services over the digital cable network. The cable head end of a typical digital cable network has the capacity to provide services for as many as one-half to one million homes. Through the use of numerous hubs, each of which provides service to approximately 500 to 2,000 homes. The set-top box within each home communicates with the cable head end through a client/server relationship. The STB (set-top box) hosts various applications that present the user with the functionality offered by the various cable services. The more familiar applications provided over such digital cable networks are a navigator, an interactive program guide, e-mail, and a web browser. In such applications, the STB hosts the client software and the cable head end hosts the server software. The set-top box itself may be one of many currently available set-top boxes, such as the Explorer 2000 by Scientific Atlanta, the DCT 5000+ by General Instrument, and the Streammaster by Motorola.
Thus, home consumers with set-top boxes may access various internet services, such as financial institutions, credit card services and on-line merchants via the internet proxy provided by the cable head end of the digital cable network. The home consumer can browse the various web sites provided by such internet services and through the use of the consumer""s television via the consumer""s set-top box.
Recently, techniques have been developed for providing a printing service between internet applications and a home subscriber""s set-top box to allow for print data from an internet application to be printed on a home subscriber""s printer which is connected to the set-top box. Such techniques are described in the aforementioned U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 09/357,431, entitled xe2x80x9cSoftware Architecture for Cable Television Home Printing,xe2x80x9d Ser. No. 09/357,433, entitled xe2x80x9cInternet-Based Push Printing Over Cable Network to Home Printerxe2x80x9d, and Ser. No. 09/357,593, entitled xe2x80x9cSecure Printing Over Cable Network to Home Printer.xe2x80x9d
The inventions described in these patent applications provide a system for an internet application that is maintained by a bank, credit card service or on-line merchant to have the capability to provide consumer-related data to a consumer on a regular basis, such as a banking statement or utility bill, by initiating transmission of such consumer-related data over the digital cable network to the consumer""s set-top box. For example, monthly banking statements which are typically sent by mail can be replaced with monthly transmissions of such banking statements to the consumer""s set-top box in the consumer""s home. Such consumer-related data can then be automatically printed on a printer attached to the set-top box so that the consumer does not need to be involved in the printing process. Due to the confidential nature of such consumer-oriented information, such printing which is initiated by the internet service can be handled in a secure manner so that no other subscriber to the digital cable network could access or intercept such information and so that the information is delivered to the appropriate set-top box.
In light of the foregoing patent applications, it can be appreciated that a home user with a printer can obtain and print information from a variety of internet-based applications, regardless of whether the home user""s computing platform is a PC connected to the internet via an ISP or a set-top box connected to the internet via a cable network. In a similar manner, print data can be sent to the home user""s printer from such internet-based applications, thereby providing the home user with useful information without the home user having to be involved in the printing process.
In general, a home-based printer can be attached to a home computing platform such as a PC, a television set-top box or a residential gateway. In this manner, a third party such as an internet application can xe2x80x9cpush-printxe2x80x9d a print job through another network to the home user""s printer. For example, a third party such as a merchant may initiate a print job containing an advertisement or a coupon for printing on the home user""s printer. Furthermore, the home user may subscribe to one or more particular web sites for scheduled automatic printing of requested information from the web site to the home user""s printer. It can therefore be appreciated that a home printing service infrastructure as described in the aforementioned patent applications provides a valuable network centric system whereby print jobs can be sent from a third-party merchant on the internet to the printer of a home user via a network server between the internet and the home computing platform of the home user, wherein the network server and the home computing platform are connected by a network other than the internet.
Regardless of the specific type of home computing platform utilized by the home user, third-party merchants or vendors would be able to initiate a print job for printing on the home user""s printer via the home printing service infrastructure. In many instances, this service is of value to the home user, such as when coupons and/or advertisements in which the home user is interested are provided to the home user, or when a utility company or a financial institution with which the home user does business provides a billing statement to the home user.
In several other instances, however, it can be appreciated that third-party-initiated print jobs may be undesirable. For instance, a large number of merchants with internet access to the home printing service infrastructure may initiate an overwhelming number of print jobs to a home user""s printer, thereby resulting in unwanted and voluminous printout. In addition, even for those print jobs in which the home user may have an interest, such as coupons, billing services and financial statements, the printing of such print jobs costs the home user money in the form of ink and paper, especially when such print jobs are sent on a frequent basis.
Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism whereby third-party-initiated print jobs to a specific home user can be either blocked entirely, regulated by volume or allowed only when paid for by the initiating third party. Specifically, it is desirable to require that the third parties pay an authorization fee in order to obtain authorization to send a print job to the home user""s printer.
The present invention addresses the foregoing problems by providing a mechanism for an internet application to obtain authorization for the transmission of print data which is generated by the internet application over a cable network to a set-top box of a cable subscriber for subsequent printing on the cable subscriber""s printer which is connected to the set-top box.
In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for authorized transmission of print data from an internet application to a home access device having a printer connected thereto, the printer being serviced by a remote print server which controls data transmission to the home access device, wherein the method includes the steps of negotiating with an intermediary service to obtain authorization for the internet application to transmit the print data to the home access device via the remote print server, and transmitting, in the case that the authorization is obtained, the authorized print data from the internet application to the home access device via the remote print server for printing on the printer.
Preferably, authorization is obtained from an intermediary service for the internet application to transmit the print data only if a payment is first negotiated to the intermediary service from the internet application. The payment is preferably transferred from the intermediary service to the user of the home access device to compensate the user for the ink and paper that are consumed when printing the print data on the home user""s printer.
By virtue of this arrangement, a method is provided whereby third-party-initiated print jobs to a specific home user can be blocked unless payment is provided by the initiating third party to compensate the home user for the ink and paper used during printing of the print job.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for authorized transmission of print data from an internet application residing on a first network to a home access device residing on a second network, the home access device having a printer connected thereto, the second network having a print server which interfaces the first network to the second network and which controls data transmission to the home access device. Print data is generated by the internet application and an intermediary service is contacted to obtain authorization for the internet application to transmit the print data to the home access device via the print server. A payment amount is negotiated between the intermediary service and the internet application for the authorization to transmit the print data. Authorization is provided from the intermediary service to the internet application to transmit the print data to the home access device via the print server. A notification is sent from the intermediary service to the print server that the intermediary has authorized the internet application to transmit the print data to the home access device. The print data is then transmitted from the internet application to the home access device via the print server for printing on the printer.
Preferably, the payment is negotiated based on the number of pages to be printed and the type of paper to be printed. The payment is preferably transferred from the intermediary service to the user of the home access device to compensate the user for the ink and paper that are consumed when printing the print data on the home user""s printer.
By virtue of this arrangement, a mechanism is provided whereby third-party-initiated print jobs to a specific home user can be blocked unless compensation is provided by the initiating third party for the ink and paper used to print the print job.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for authorizing the transmission of print data from an internet application residing on a first network to a home access device residing on a second network, the home access device having a printer connected thereto, the second network having a print server which interfaces the first network to the second network and which controls data transmission to the home access device. A request is received from the internet application for authorization to transmit the print data to the home access device via the print server. Authorization is provided to the internet application to transmit the print data to the home access device via the print server. The print server is notified that the internet application is authorized to transmit the print data to the home access device.
Preferably, authorization is only provided after a payment amount is negotiated from the internet application to the intermediary service. The payment is preferably negotiated based on the number of pages to be printed and the type of paper to be printed. The payment is preferably transferred from the intermediary service to the user of the home access device to compensate the user for the ink and paper that are consumed when printing the print data on the home user""s printer.
By virtue of this arrangement, a mechanism is provided controlling access to the home access device of a user whereby third-party-initiated print jobs to a specific home user can be blocked unless compensation is provided by the initiating third party for the ink and paper used to print the print job.
This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the attached drawings.